Resources for finding an Interpreter

February 23, 2009

Hi everyone,

Here are some resources for finding an interpreter if you need someone to interact with the parents or conduct an evaluation.

          The family

        Extended members preferred

        The family is the most accurate source for their language and dialect.  Ask for a member of the family that is not immediate in order to limit bias

          The Professional Community

        Nurses, healthcare professionals

        If the family can direct you towards a medical professional who speaks their language you have a leg up with someone who is probably familiar with translating.

          Community Volunteers

        Cultural centers

        Religious groups

          Inquire about a community, cultural center, or religious center.

          On-line resources

        www.professionalinterpreters.com

        These tend to be pricey but in dire circumstances, there are online interpreters that you can conference in to a meeting to translate.  The hospital/post trauma situations conference in interpreters.  It is also common when there is a lawsuit involved.

Building Blocks for Language, in any Language

February 16, 2009

Here is a list of early language milestones that occur regardless of home language

       0-1 month – crying and vegetative sounds

       18 months - symbolic play, pretend play

       24 months - sequencing of activities

       36 months episodic play

       Joint turn-taking

       Eye gaze

          Joint Attention

          Gestures

          Vocalizations

          Comprehension

          Play

Aligning Therapy with PPCD classes/topics

February 9, 2009

I am probably the last person on the planet to know about these books but I got my hands on 4 (9 weeks each) manuals that cover the educational topics for the pre-k through K classrooms for the entire year.  The topics are like cowboys, zoo animals, color, etc.  Each week lists all the vocabulary, related books, topics, and projects related to each topic.  We started building therapy sessions in advance and knocked out a bunch of PPCD planning time.  They are called the DLM Early Childhood Express.  Ask your teachers if they have them.

Regards,

Scott

Gearing up for TSHA conference in Austin

February 2, 2009

Hi everyone,

    We are excited that TSHA, the Texas Speech and Hearing Association’s conference will be in our hometown this year.  We will be presenting and will also have a booth set up.   We have enjoyed communicating with so many new people this year through our website.  We would love to meet you in person in you are attending.  Stop by our presentations or booth.

http://www.txsha.org/

 

Sincerely,

The Bilinguistics Staff